In a sense, Henry Pequeno didn’t have to go far to serve the congregation at Bethel United Methodist Church when he was appointed in July.

“This has been my church my whole life,” Pequeno, 47, said.

But it wasn’t actually. Not the same building or location anyway.

When Pequeno was growing up, his family attended the Spanish-language Bethel UMC on Westmoreland Street.

That church closed and the congregation in 2013 moved to the former Epworth UMC on North Willis Street. Epworth ceased to exist in July 2010, due to a dwindling congregation and changing demographics in the neighborhood.

Marcy Garza was pastor of the original Bethel UMC when it moved. She remained as pastor until July 1, when the bishop of the Northwest Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church appointed Pequeno to the church and moved Garza to First UMC in the Panhandle community of Memphis.

“It’s amazing how the Lord works. He allows you the time you need.”

Henry Pequeno, of Bethel UMC

Now, Pequeno is doing double duty. He had been serving as pastor of Caps UMC for a year when he added Bethel to his job description. That arrangement came after Pequeno and Abilene District Superintendent George Price decided he could handle both jobs, conducting services for both congregations Sunday mornings and sometimes during the week.

And, to add to Pequeno’s two part-time jobs, he also has a full-time job as owner of Triple Eee Truck Tire Service on Treadaway Boulevard. That makes for two full-time jobs, which Pequeno gladly accepts.

“It’s amazing how the Lord works,” Pequeno said. “He allows you the time you need.”

Actually, Pequeno could add another job to those — he’s grandfather to a very active 2½-year-old, Emma Rae Pequeno.

“She acts like she’s 20,” Pequeno said. “She can talk your ear off.”

'Diving in head first'

A portable sign on North Willis Street lets passersby know Bethel UMC has a new leader.(Photo: Greg Jaklewicz)

Members of Bethel are delighted to have Pequeno appointed as their pastor, said David Garcia, administrator of the board that governs the church.

Pequeno’s history with Bethel and the fact that some members already knew him added a buzz of excitement, Garcia said.

“He has a true heart for it,” he said.

Two pastorates, plus owning a business that is on call 24 hours a day, isn’t too much for a man who didn’t feel a call to ministry until he was 40. Before that, Pequeno admits to being a heavy drinker, even a “functioning alcoholic.” When he hit 40, something changed and he asked God for forgiveness.

“After that,” he said, “it was pretty much diving in head first.”

But before Pequeno could be accepted for the United Methodist Church’s course of study to become a lay minister, he had to take a step back. Pequeno had dropped out of Abilene High School his senior year to marry his high school sweetheart, Sandi Silva, and get a job to support them. But when he decided he wanted to go through the schooling to become a United Methodist minister, he wasn’t going to let the lack of a diploma stop him. He found that to be a challenge.

“I had forgotten a lot of stuff by the time I was 40 years old,” he said.

“The people in the pews dictate what language I’m going to use.”

Henry Pequeno, on determining if he will preach in English or Spanish

But Pequeno persevered, got the diploma and then went through the church’s course of study to get a preaching license. Now, he is pastor of two congregations with distinctly different makeups. The congregation at Caps UMC is all white and prefers a traditional service with traditional music.

The Bethel congregation is a mix of Hispanics, African-Americans, and some Anglos. The Caps service is in English. The Bethel service may be in English or it may be in Spanish, or a combination of both.

“The people in the pews dictate what language I’m going to use,” he said.

If Pequeno knows everyone in the pews speaks Spanish, then he will preach in Spanish. But if there are people present who don’t understand Spanish, then the service will be in English.

The same goes for the music, with some English and some Spanish at Bethel. The music at Bethel, no matter the language, is contemporary, while the Caps’ congregation prefers traditional hymns.

“I get the best of both worlds,” Pequeno said.

.(Photo: Greg Jaklewicz)

Blessing around him

Although Pequeno didn’t get interested in ministry until he was 40, he did have plenty of role models. His grandfather was a United Methodist minister and his mother’s brother is a Baptist minister.

Another blessing came to Pequeno with his call to ministry. When he dropped out of high to get married and get a job, his father was unhappy. He made his son promise that someday he would get his diploma. The two worked side by side for many years at the family-owned truck tire service, which responds to truckers in need of tire service 24 hours a day.

The “Triple Eee” comes from the people involved, all named Enrique or the anglicized “Henry.” Pequeno’s grandfather was Enrique T, his dad Enrique H and Pequeno is Enrique R.

Pequeno’s father died four years ago, but he lived to see his son fulfill his promise of getting a high school diploma--and much more. Before his death, Pequeno’s father gave him his blessing and encouragement for his calling as a minister.